Mothership core/Development
The mothership core is a unit in StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm which has undergone much development. The mothership core was created to solve the problem of multiplayer protoss vs. protoss games, said games rarely going to mid-late game due to the warp-in abilities negating the defender's advantage. Its Photon Overcharge ability is a counter to this,June, 2012, Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm "New Units" Explained by David Kim. G4, accessed on 2012-06-21 along with countering zerg rush techniques.June, 2012, Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm "New Units" Gameplay Preview With Sam Didier. G4, accessed on 2012-06-21 It is also intended that its Recall abilities will allow protoss players to be more aggressive.2012-06-11, Dustin Browder gives Slasher the scoop on Heart of the Swarm. YouTube, accessed on 2012-06-21 Heart of the Swarm beta files indicate that the mothership core was called the "warp ship" during development.Blizzard Entertainment. Heart of the Swarm beta Map Editor. (Activision Blizzard) (in English). September 4, 2012 Prior to the beta test, the mothership core was immobile, remaining atop the nexus.Blizzard Entertainment. 2012-06-08. Heart of the Swarm Update - New Videos (StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm - Battle Report (Protoss vs Zerg)). Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2012-06-08. Prior to beta patch 4 the mothership core could fire its weapon on the move; after patch 4, the mothership core could attach itself to a nexus, and only then was it able to fire a weapon.Xordiah. 2012-9-29. (9/29/2012) Heart of the Swarm Beta Discussion. Accessed 2012-10-20. In patch 5 this ability became a simple nexus buff.Xordiah. 2012-10-6. (10/6/2012) Heart of the Swarm Beta Discussion. Accessed 2012-10-20. The Energize ability was removed during the beta.Cloaken. 2012-10-12. Balance Update #6 (10/12/2012) Heart of the Swarm Beta Discussion. Accessed 2012-10-12. In beta patch #8, the mothership core was no longer massive.Kaivax. 2012-12-05. Beta Balance Update #8 – December 5, 2012. Heart of the Swarm Beta Discussion Accessed 2012-12-05. Previously immobile, the mothership core became a mobile unit during the beta test.HuskyStarCraft. 2012-09-04. Heart of the Swarm - Protoss - Game 1 - Beta Gameplay. Youtube. Accessed 2012-09-05.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm beta. (Activision Blizzard) (in English). 2012. It can attack while on the move.Raiderrobert. 2012-09-05. Summary of HOTS Changes. Reddit. Accessed 2012-09-09. The mothership core's Envision ability was moved to the oracle in January 2013.Spyrian. 2013-01-09. Beta Balance Update #11 – January 9, 2013. Heart of the Swarm Beta Discussion Accessed 2013-01-10. Legacy of the Void The energy cost of mass recall for both motherships and mothership cores was decreased in Legacy of the Void. The developers noted that protoss struggled in base defense, so the cost was reduced, making it easier to defend multiple bases, and to play more aggressively in the early/mid stages of the game.2015-05-11, Legacy of the Void Beta: Balance Update Preview - May 11. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-05-21 The core removed from multiplayer in Patch 4.0, its role transferred to the nexus itself. This was done in a bid to simplify protoss base defenses by concentrating defensive power in the nexus itself rather than a specialized unit that moves between them.2017-08-17, StarCraft II Multiplayer - Major Design Changes. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2017-08-20 References Category: StarCraft II development